diff --git a/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/bluetooth_connection_bluedroid.cpp b/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/bluetooth_connection_bluedroid.cpp
index 625549ccb9..6c8895f031 100644
--- a/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/bluetooth_connection_bluedroid.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/bluetooth_connection_bluedroid.cpp
@@ -129,11 +129,13 @@ void BluedroidGattClient::tracker_connect_() {
   this->set_state(ClientState::CONNECTING);
   if (this->connection_type_ == ConnectionType::V3_WITHOUT_CACHE) {
     // Fast params for the discovery phase; stepped down at SEARCH_CMPL.
-    esp_ble_gap_set_prefer_conn_params(this->remote_bda_, FAST_MIN_CONN_INTERVAL, FAST_MAX_CONN_INTERVAL, 0,
-                                       FAST_CONN_TIMEOUT);
+    this->check_and_log_error_("esp_ble_gap_set_prefer_conn_params",
+                               esp_ble_gap_set_prefer_conn_params(this->remote_bda_, FAST_MIN_CONN_INTERVAL,
+                                                                  FAST_MAX_CONN_INTERVAL, 0, FAST_CONN_TIMEOUT));
   } else {
-    esp_ble_gap_set_prefer_conn_params(this->remote_bda_, MEDIUM_MIN_CONN_INTERVAL, MEDIUM_MAX_CONN_INTERVAL, 0,
-                                       MEDIUM_CONN_TIMEOUT);
+    this->check_and_log_error_("esp_ble_gap_set_prefer_conn_params",
+                               esp_ble_gap_set_prefer_conn_params(this->remote_bda_, MEDIUM_MIN_CONN_INTERVAL,
+                                                                  MEDIUM_MAX_CONN_INTERVAL, 0, MEDIUM_CONN_TIMEOUT));
   }
   auto ret = esp_ble_gattc_open(this->gattc_if_, this->remote_bda_,
                                 static_cast<esp_ble_addr_type_t>(this->remote_addr_type_), true);
diff --git a/esphome/components/bluetooth_proxy/bluetooth_proxy.cpp b/esphome/components/bluetooth_proxy/bluetooth_proxy.cpp
index c792088952..7bbb2df16c 100644
--- a/esphome/components/bluetooth_proxy/bluetooth_proxy.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/bluetooth_proxy/bluetooth_proxy.cpp
@@ -476,13 +476,6 @@ void BluetoothProxy::loop() {
     this->connections_[i]->process_pending_services();
   }
 #endif
-  if (this->connections_free_pending_ && this->api_connection_ != nullptr) {
-    // Resend a dropped slot-state update once the TCP buffer drains; the
-    // advertisement-only arm answers DISCONNECT requests with this message
-    // too, so the drain compiles on every proxy build.
-    this->connections_free_pending_ = false;
-    this->send_connections_free(this->api_connection_);
-  }
 
   // Run advertisement flush / scanner-state poll every 100ms
   uint32_t now = App.get_loop_component_start_time();
@@ -490,6 +483,15 @@ void BluetoothProxy::loop() {
     return;
   this->last_advertisement_flush_time_ = now;
 
+  if (this->connections_free_pending_ && this->api_connection_ != nullptr) {
+    // Resend a dropped slot-state update, paced by the 100 ms gate so the
+    // retry does not hammer the congestion it exists to survive; the
+    // advertisement-only arm answers DISCONNECT requests with this message
+    // too, so the drain compiles on every proxy build.
+    this->connections_free_pending_ = false;
+    this->send_connections_free(this->api_connection_);
+  }
+
   if (!api::global_api_server->is_connected() || this->api_connection_ == nullptr) {
 #ifdef BLUETOOTH_CONNECTION_HAS_GATT
     // The API subscriber is gone: tear down any connections it left behind